Police question witnesses over attack on Ahmadiyah follower's house

Tasikmalaya, NU Online
Police in Tasikmalaya, West Java, are securing seven witnesses for the destruction of a house belonging to Ahmadiyah follower in Sukgalih Tuesday night.

"We have questioned seven witnesses taken from the scene," Tasikmalaya city police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Moch Hendra Suhartiyono said here on Wednesday.<<>br />
The seven witnesses are all local residents who were just on the way home when they suddenly saw commotion in the victim`s house.

He said the witnesses had been asked about the destruction of the house at around 22.30pm on Tuesday.

He said the police could not as yet be able to conclude about the motive behind the destruction.

"We are still investigating motives behind the attack," he said.

He however assured that the incident was not related to a mass organization. "It is still individual in nature and so for not connected with any mass organization," he said.

A local leader of the Tasikmalaya branch of the Islam Defenders` Front (FPI), Acep Sofyan, also confirmed that the incident was not connected with his organization. "Please check to see whether or not our members are involved," he said.

The house belonging to Iyos suffered damage on its front part while the furniture was scattering after tens of people on cars and motorbikes attacked it.

The incident claimed no one as the owner was able to flee when the attack came which lasted till dawn. After they dispersed military and police personnel came to the scene. They immediately guarded the scene, carried out investigation and collected evidence.

Hendra said no attack had ever happened in Tasikmalaya following the issuance of the West Java governor`s decision to ban the activity of the Islamic sect in the region. (ant/dar)